10/06/2013

Now you see it!

Things are changing so quickly in the garden just now, that it's hard to keep up with everything new that is blooming.
















Alliums are definitely the stars of the show at the moment. From Purple Sensation, Nigrum, Cristophii, Globe Master, Chives and dainty Ostrowskianum, they are providing plenty of nectar for the bees and butterflies, and are quite the purple spectacle. I love the way you can just leave them to get on with it, and how they happily self seed and weave amongst the other plants.















Anemone Harmony Pearl seems to have been enjoying the sunny weather. This is a new addition to the garden, and I shall be nurturing it this year, ready to divide next year. It's such a beautiful colour, and I'd like little clumps of it dotted around.



Foxgloves are one of my favourite flowers, and they have self seeded everywhere this year. Just look at the delicious pale pink colour and speckles of this one. So pretty! Due to a mix up with one of my internet orders, I've  been informed that I'll be getting some free Illumination Pink Foxgloves sent to me soon. These are a perennial variety that flower for months. I'm really looking forward to comparing them with the traditional kind.


And result! One of the other Viktoria Luise poppies that I thought was also going to turn out red, has in fact bloomed the fantastic coral pink it was meant to. I can't tell you how happy that made me! The others are still waiting to bloom, but fingers crossed it was just one rogue red. Doesn't it go beautifully with the burnt orange leaves of xHeucherella Sweet Tea, an interesting cross between  Heuchera and a Tiarella.




Another Heuchera in bloom is Paris. The wispy pink flowers are so dainty, and the marbled leaves stay on the plant almost all year. My other Heucheras are only halfway to blooming at the moment.


Polemoniums have been blooming for three weeks now and are still looking good.



And the Astibles are busy brightening up the shady area. These are Breman and Europa.



Lamium Red Nancy and the gorgeous, richly vanilla scented Nemesia Sweet Lady are joining together to smother one of the wildlife pond borders. I could stand here all day sniffing in the perfume.




I have Nemesia Raspberries and Cream here too, and although the little flowers are beautiful, they have no scent. They do flower until Autumn though, so I guess that is the compromise. I'm hoping if I mulch these well after flowering, they may last over winter.



There are lots of lovely combinations in flower just now. The Verbascums are mingling nicely with the Hardy Geranium.


And in the shady area, Poppies, Foxgloves, Aquilegia and Hardy Geranium are all keeping company with the Marsh Marigold and Carex.



And the Aquilegias are still going strong. I am always sorry to see them finish blooming, so that late start to Spring has actually done me a favour this year as there are still many buds on the plants.










It looks like the sunny weather has finished for now (I really hope that week wasn't our summer!), but I am still spending nearly all my time in the garden, there is just so much to do at this time of year...and I LOVE IT!

41 comments:

  1. Lovely garden and the pictures were definitely worth viewing in the larger size - I even spotted the red poppy.

    The centre of the pink poppy looks to be embroidered.

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    1. Yes, I left the red poppy there, it's kind of growing on me :-)

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  2. Your garden is a gorgeous explosion of color! Beautiful! I love it all!

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    1. Thank you, it's definitely colourful at the moment, and there is more to come as so many plants are still to come into flower.

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  3. Paula girl your garden is such a gorgeous retreat and so private : ) I love it to bits ! .. We share Sweet Tea and it is beautiful isn't it ? .. I am glad your poppies are not all red .. and that anemone is a stunner .. I haven't seen that before 1
    The allium .. after seeing all of yours I have to make a mental note to plant many of them in the Autumn now .. they are so pretty!
    The foxglove .. I had candy Mountain but it seems to have disappeared on me .. BIG sigh !
    In any case .. what a lovely post with such beautiful pictures .. I would be spending all my time there too !
    Joy : )
    Fingers crossed on my pathway project!! haha

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    1. I had some Candy Mountain seeds, Joy, but it appears they have all withered away to nothing. Shame, as it looked like a gorgeous foxglove. I may try again next year with a fresh packet.

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  4. Wow - your garden is stunning at the moment so much variety all blending beautifully together - who's a greenfingered girl then! p.s. I spotted a cat in there posing as an ornament. lol.

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    1. Aww, thank you Elaine. I don't know about greenfingered, but definitely muddy kneed ;-)

      The kitty would be Maisie. I swear she's not there when I start snapping, she just seems to appear as soon as she hears the camera!

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  5. Gorgeous!!! I love all the alliums. SO very pretty! And I love all the different flowering combinations. That coral poppy is fabulous, too. Perfect with the heuchera.

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    1. It seems there are lots of fans of that poppy, it really is a lovely one. Fingers crossed that the others turn out the same colour.

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  6. What a wonderful garden packed so full of lovely colourful plants.
    I'm sure that at this time of year you're noticing something new every time you walk through it.
    Thanks for the tour and pictures. Flighty xx

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    1. I certainly am, Flighty, in fact, something new seems to bloom each day.

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  7. Your Alliums are amazing! My ornamentals didn't last beyond a season mostly, except A. bulgaricum which is an oddity. But Elephant Garlic has big purple flowers that look alot like your flowers and also dry well. I'm growing Victoria Louise from seed but they are still very small, I'll just hope for blooms next year.... Lovely garden!

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    1. I never seem to have much success growing poppies from seed, but I'll definitely be saving the seeds from these and giving it a try again. I'd love to have them dotted all over the garden.

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  8. I love the birds eye view photos you take of your garden, they really show off your garden in all its glory. You've got so many interesting plants packed in, just wonderful. Nemesia are one of my favourites, they're so pretty. I had a vanilla scented one, and though I tried to overwinter it, I ended up losing it. I've got alliums blooming in my garden at the moment too, but their numbers have dwindled so I really need to buy some more for next year.

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    1. Sounds like there's not much hope for overwintering the Nemesia then Jo, especially if we get another rough winter. Such a shame as it's so gorgeous.

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  9. What a fantastic selection of flowers you have at the moment, with alliums definitely the star along with your chives. I'm really impressed at the way you have mixed your plants together making a really pleasing tapestry-wonderful.

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    1. Thanks Pauline. I'm pretty chuffed myself with how it's all coming together now. It's taken a long time, but I finally feel like it's nearly there.

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  10. Paula, your garden changes fast! Nice Aquilegias, of different varieties, I love most red-white and double ones.
    Also the Alliums, you have white or light-blue, very nice as well.
    Have a lovely week!

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    1. It changes daily Nadezda, always something new appearing :-)

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  11. Oh my....it all looks divine. So much colour! Fantastic.

    I particularly loved the Anemone, it's up there with the poppy for me, and the foxgloves are delightful.

    I'm glad you got your pink poppy, but for me it's the red, it's a stunner!xxxx

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    1. Well, I've left the red one where it is, as it's surrounded by the Geums now and actually looks quite pretty. I'm glad all the others so far have turned out pink though, I'm a pink kind of gal ;-)

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  12. Your garden is looking beautiful; I love the views from above. And I love the Alliums and the Foxglove - one of my favourite flowers, too. The pale pink/speckles are gorgeous. Your 'surprise' Red Poppy is really eye-catching.

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    1. Thanks Wendy. Most of the foxgloves have made an appearance now and they all look glorious with gorgeous colours.

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  13. It's beautiful Paula. I love the coral poppy and so wish I could grow alliums!
    Hope you are finding a bit of time just to sit and admire it all!

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    1. I've got the time Jessica, but the weather has reverted to wind and showers, so I'm admiring from the house this week.

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  14. WOW, WOW, WOW...everything is so lush and beautiful!!! You have so many of the flowers that I love. Please let me know how that perennial Foxglove does. I love Foxgloves and would like to get this one if it does well. You garden is absolutely breathtaking....love it!!!

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    1. Thank you Christy. I'll certainly let you know how I get on with the foxglove, although I doubt it will be any good for planting out this year now, as I have to grow it on from a plug. It will be interesting to compare though.

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  15. Your garden is stunning! So much going on. I can see why you love to be out there. The alliums really stand out, and I liked the photos of the foxglove and astilbe. It must feel wonderful to be surrounded by so much beauty.

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    1. It really is lovely to hide out there, my own private paradise :-)

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  16. Your garden is lovely, Paula. It is so busy with all the flowers, green plants, and no lawn! I would love to have more flowers in our garden, but Marek loves his grass too much...

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    1. Oh, I'm not a lover of lawns, Aga, I'd much rather have room for more plants :-))

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  17. Your garden looks absolutely glorious with some lovely subtle shades at the moment Paula including the cat :) You can never have too many alliums or aquilegias.

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    1. Funny how one of the cats always manages to sneak in somewhere ;-)

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  18. Your garden has done a big leap forward! Everything look gorgeous! I can’t believe how far your astilbes are, mine have just got a few buds, that’s all, they are in a shady area but they do get some sun during the day. Love all your Aquilegias, will definitely get some for next year for my garden. And I have put Nemesia Raspberries and Cream on my wish list! Have a lovely Sunday, hope the weather is better than yesterday!

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    1. I do love those Astilbes, Helene. I can't wait for them to get big enough to divide so I can dot them all over.

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  19. Absolutely stunning!! I can't believe how much you have stuffed into such a narrow space. I also grow chives but they are oddly located and I just made a note to myself on my Fall 2013 Chore List to add more chives and transplant the ones I have. Thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. Lol, and I'm still cramming plants in anywhere I can. I've no idea what I'll do when I run out room...cry, maybe.

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  20. You've a really great variety of colour - everything is looking very pretty!

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  21. Your garden is so beautiful. Love all the pretty flowers.(-:

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